Vacuum-seal for jars.



C. R. KEERAN.

VACUUM SEAL POR JARS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 1o, 1909.

973,512. Pantea ocn.25,191o.

CHARLES B. KEERAN, OF BLOOMINGTON, ILLINOIS.

VACUUM-SEAL Fon uns.

Specication of Letters Patent.

i' Patented oct. 25,1910'.

Application tiled August 10,1909. Serial No. 512,224.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that l, Cx-IARLES R. KEERAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomington, in the county of McLean and State of Illinois, have invented new anduseful Improvements in` Vacuum-Seals for Jars, of which the following is a specification. f

This invention relates to a vacuum seal for fruit and like jars or receptacles, the object of the invention being to provide 'a simple and inexpensive construction of seal which when applied will be held by external atmospheric pressure in position to her'- metically seal the mouth of the jar or re'- ceptacle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a vacuum seal which may be readily punctured to admit air to the jar so that the seal may be conveniently opened.

Still another objectl of the invention is to provide a vacuum sealing cap having novel means for effecting a hermetic connection with the jar or receptacle and a novel means for closing communication bctween the interior of the jar and the atmosphere, which closing means may be conveniently punctured to destroy the vacuum connection when it is desired to open' the jar for the removal of'itscontents. A still further object -of the invention is to provide a means for temporarily holding the seal in position until the vacuum sealing action is effected. v

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, -in which z- Figure l is a vertical section through the upper portion of a jar showing the application of the invention with the clip or retaining device in position. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Referring to the drawing, l-desi nates the body of a Mason or other type o fruit jar or receptacle provided upon its neck portion with external cam ribs or threads 2.

The seal embodies a cap-3 having at its outer edge a depending flange et to inclose the mouth of the jar above the threads or cam ribs 2. This cap, which lis made of sheet metal or other suitable material, is

provided with a depressed panel 5 coexftensive in diameter with the mouth .of the jarvand having a central depressed, circular receptacle 6 provided with a vent opening 7.

The construction described provides between the flange and marginal edge of the panel-5 an annular rim 8 forming a groove 9 to receive a sealing ring 10 which is adapt.- ed to rest upon the rim edge of the mouth of the receptacle and to form a hermetically tight joint between-the same and the cap. This sealing ring is composed of wax and some suitable fibrous material combined in proper proportions to prevent disintegration of the'wax and to render the ring flexible even when the waX is cold. The receptacle 6 is adapted to receive a disk or plug l1 of the same composition as the-sealing ring, which plug is designed to tightly fit within said receptacle and to close the opening 7. n

A clip or retainer is provided to temporarily hold the parts of the-seal in position while the sealing actionl is being effected.

This comprises a bail-12 adapted to extend across and-down upon-the sides of the cap and neck of the jar and provided with lugsI 13 to engage the threads or ribs 2. In the cross bar or body of the bail, adjacent the ends thereof, are formed outwardly inclined or curved-slots 14 for the passage of the free ends of a bowed pressure spring 15, which is arranged below said'bar to bear against the inserted plug 11.

In operation, the jar is lled with boiling fruit and the cap 3 is then placed in posivtion to close the mouth of the jar and with the sealing ring 10 disposed in the groove 9 resting upon the rim edge of the jar. The plug 1l is then inserted within the receptacle 6 to close theopening 7 after which the bail 12. is applied in position and secured down until the spring 15 engages the plug with sulicient force to hold the cap and plugin ap lied position. The heat of the contents o the ]a.r will then fuse or melt the wax contained in the sealing ring and plugand firmly fasten the same in posiltion .within the gro-ove 9 and receptacle 6, at the same time securing the cap to the rim edge of the jar. and the seal within the receptacle, forming ai hermetically tight closure at all points. The clip is retained in position until the contents of the jar cool and condense the air contained in the top of the jar, -whereby a partial vacuum is formedin the latter, causing the cap or seal to be held in connection with the jar both by the adhesion between the ring 10, cap and rim edge of the jar and the external atmospheric pressure against the cap. The

clip may then be removed, as a secure and the opening 7 to allo-w air to enter the jar,

whereupon the cap may vbe readily pried or forced oil".

As a result of the construction described, a simple cheap and elicient type of closure is provided which does not extend to any material extent beyond the jar and may be applied and removed with facility. The cap 5 may be em loyed any number of times, it being mere y necessary to employ a new composition sealing ring` and plug each time it is used for sealing purposes.

I claim l. The combination with a jar having external threads, of a vacuum sealing disk adapted to effect a sealing connection with the jar, said disk bein provided with a vent opening, and a fusi le 1u for closing said opening, a retaining bail) a apted to engage the threads and provided with short inclined transverse slots in the cross portion thereof and a bowed retaining spring adapted to bear upon the plug and having its ends slidably and frictionally engaged with said slots and retained thereby to prevent movement of the spring longitudinally of the bail.

2. The combination with a jar, a vacuum sealing disk adapted to close the mouth of the jar, said disk being provided with a vent opening, and a fusible lug for closing said opening, of a bail-s aped retainer adapted to engage the jar and having out- Wardly and upwardly inclined short transverse slots therein, and a bowed pressure spring extending longitudinally beneath the cross portion of the bail and having its ends slidably fitted in said slots and its convex central portion arranged to bear u on the plug, said ends of the spring being ield by the slots to prevent movement of the spring longitudinally of the bail.

3. A vacuum sealcomprising a cap having a flange and a depressed body portion, forml ing a circular retaining groove' between said fiange and body portion, the body portion also having a central circular de ressed panel of some depth provided in the ottom wall thereof with a vent openin a sealing ring composed of a non-heat insu ating ber and wax fitted within said circular groove and co-extensive in width and in depth therewith, and a circular lug composed of a similar composition a apted to lit within and close sald circular anel and the vent opening therein, said p ug being co-extensive in depth with the panel whereby its uppersur ace is ada ted to lie flush with the up er surface o the body portion of l the sea ing cap.

In testimony whereof I alix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES R. KEERAN.

Witnesses:

F. S. FOLEY, B. I. MATER. 

